#astralkeys

The briefest jarring sensation prickles across her spine, a moment of unguarded alarm as if she'd fallen asleep too fast and her body was alerting her that something wasn't right. Her hairline extends down her neck much like a mane, a trail of down between scarred shoulder blades, all the imperfections and little characteristics on display when a touch brushes over them.

Once mutilated and torn flesh isn't familiar with others touch. But as she takes a breath and tastes the air to the familiarity of the other; she settles, curled possessively over a cushion as it's squished tighter to her bare front, a shudder filtering past her reaction. It's a part of her she struggles to reach without changing shape, appreciation soothing the tension in her narrow shoulders, slender frame usually concealed under fluff or flowing attire, once sickly and easy to fall back into without careful attention.

Teeth click as fingers climb into the mass of feather and hair, features going slack as a rumble starts up in her chest.

Self Indulgence [Always Accepting!]

Curiosity looked good on something usually so repressed. The city and it's surroundings pulling idle neutrality and sarcastic ploy to the side in favor of new expressions, especially so with limited company.

Thumbs pressed inward ever gently on a watery floral bulb, admiring the way it moved and reacted, mindful of her claws. Time spent sleeping or holed away in other continents made for eager relief now that she got to spend time elsewhere.

The touch draws some akin to a cat's chirp, like waking up. She doesn't pull away but she does cant her head to the side to peer at her company, releasing her grasp on the plant and letting it disappear on a moving water current spiraling skyward. Oddly comfortable, not the first and, quite hopefully; not the last time.

"Stop picking me up!" Meryl scowled and complained, hung over the mans shoulder with ease for the umpteenth time. For getting her out of trouble, fine--

She could relent.

Not here. Without some obnoxious complaints at least.

It certainly wasn't just Wolfwood either, not when she was such a perfect height for so many, and apparently attitude; for a particular bastard.

Self Indulgence [Always accepting!]

"How am I supposed to-"

Even if she had tried to continue speaking, her voice would have been obscured by the clothing and body behind it. An owlish blink tilting back to regard the other woman in confusion. Meryl can't quite say she's touch-starved but there's moments where physical contact makes those walls crack with such pathetic ease.

A lengthy enough pause passes before tense shoulders lower, muffling a sigh into a jet black collar- gloved fingers lifting to curl around Hu Tao's back.

Self Indulgence [Always accepting!]

The reason for whatever fight they were having was forgotten. It didn't happen often, usually she just enjoyed listening to Meryl and Wolfwood argue, tearing into eachother with affectionate and vicious abandon. Fenix less so.

Playing along, deflecting, something to derail a potential argument for some reason or another. teasingly denying letting him get his kicks out of a verbal and or physical tussle.

Not today.

Teeth clicked sharply, not afraid in the slightest to express her more inhuman little quirks with their group that a singular Nicholas Wolfwood was most certainly deeply ingrained into. It wasn't a deterrent by the filthy grin she noticed widening on his features.

"I'm going to fucking-" Kill him, slap him, turn into something bigger and tackle him. Whatever threat she'd been about to hiss out was abruptly swallowed by his lips crushed to her own, slightly calloused from the dry, hot air all day, overbearingly warm.

Two beats passed before she sneered against his lips, the gesture returned to such a degree that their teeth clicked together, those sharp fingers of hers digging into his hair to pull him down more firmly, still careful enough to not dig into his skin.

Self Indulgence [Always accepting!]

Not often does Milly get frustrated.

Such feelings required some unique or persistent stressors. Both certainly had a way of doing it though. Meryl had her own way of managing the strain, sometimes with her butting in and improving things in healthier fashion.

Naive but supportive and stubborn Milly.

It worked out until it didn't.

The sensation of soft affection pressed to her forehead while she's tucked into the corner of a comfy spot causes the big girl to jolt, blinking several times upward, vision obscured by pale rosy strands, golds whites and reds, and that sharp smell of ozone.

It's become an odd comfort.

"Wolfwood!!" Meryl would tell you today that she was going to kill the mighty punisher. God or gods be damned. She was talking about important things and the audacity he had.

A normal occurrence.

At least the crudely drawn marks on her face (in permanent marker) are currently fitting and she can already hear the undertaker wheezing deep into his sandy grave. She'd kick more sand onto it for good measure.

Admittance to loving their dynamic wasn't in the future either if she could help it.

Self Indulgence [Always accepting!]

Milly could count three total people in her life who could pick her up with little to no difficulty. (That she consented to mind you.) Dad, and two of her brothers. Oh how she loved it when they did too. She adored being big enough to hoist others into her arms or over her shoulders with a passion, it was either great fun, great comfort, or both. For herself and others. It cut off avenues to enjoy having the roles turned, but she'd never complain about it.

It had been a long time since she'd enjoyed her feet being separated from the ground.

"Ah! Good morning Mr. Wolf-" Wood is cut off by a baffled little series of blinks, mouth open before promptly closing. It's been so long she forgets how to react accordingly. Teenage Milly would tuck in, becoming a giggling mess.

The giggling does start up, she can't quite help it, elation is one hell of a drug, but her legs slacken over an arm and she squeezes him loosely with an arm about his neck. Who is she to doubt anybody's strength if they decide to pick her up? She's seen what the guy can do and frankly, her days has been made.